Carburizing container



Oct. 13,1942.

H. H. HARRIS GARBURIZING CONTAINER Filed April 25, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet HENRY H. HARRIS ummm..

ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 13, 1942. H; H. HARRIS CARBURIZING CONTAINER Filed Aprire-5, 1941 2 SheetS-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 13, 1942 'UNITED STATES l PATENT OFFICE CRBU'RIZING CONTAINER Henry Harris, Champaign, Ill. ApplicationAprilsZ, 1941, Serial No. 390,273

9 Claims.

My invention relates generally to apparatus for the heat treating of metals, and particularly to containers within which metal is treated as by carburizing or the like. In the carburizing process, the metal to be treated is subjected to a carbonaceous atmosphere, and it is the nature, construction and operation of the container within which the Ymetal to be treated is disposed during carburization to which my invention is directed.

The main object of my invention is the provision of a heat treating container which will provide support for the material to be treated in spaced relation to the enclosing structure so that there is room left for a thorough circulation of the carbonaceous atmosphere.

Another object of myinvention is the provision of a heat treating container having means therein to cause distribution and circulation of the carbonaceous gas introduced into the container.

A further object of my invention is to `provide a heat treating container with removable and replaceable work supports.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a heat treating container with transverse arched bridge members having Work supporting members transversely and removably secured to the bridge members.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a cylindrical heat treating container having a plurality of spaced apart bridge members disposed transversely of the container, a plurality of work supports disposed lengthwise of the furnace, Vand means on the bottom of the furnace to cause circulation of the carbonaceous atmosphere between the bridge and work supporting members.

Other objects of my invention will in part be obvious from the following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof, and still others will be specifically pointed out hereinafter. In the drawings annexed hereto and forming a part hereof:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of one form of device constructed according to and embodying my invention, a portion of the shell being broken away to show part elevation and part section details of interior construction;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross section on the line f 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section through the shaft component of my invention, along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Reference numeral ID indicates the container of my invention generally, which is preferably made of high heat and corrosion resisting alloy material. Container IIl is generally cylindrical in shape and may be formed with a plurality of regular annular corrugations I2, transversely of the container. VAs shown, container I Il is disposed on its long axis, and it is provided with a numberof spaced apart gas entrance ports I4 near the top thereof, and gas exhaust or exit ports IB near thebottom thereof.

I provide a number of upwardly arched hollow beams 20, 2G, which may be formed in pairs and connected by integral cross ties 22, "22, andrdispose same transversely of and within container I0 in spaced relation to the bottom thereof, see Fig. 3, and in equidistantly spaced apart relationship to each other. The sides of beams 20, 20 are apertured, as 24, 26, to` allow full and free circulation of the carbonaceous atmosphere therethrough and around. The ends 28 of beams 20 are curved to snugly fit within the corrugations I4 and against the curved vfurnace wall, and the beams 230, 20 are arranged within the vfurnace I0 at a common level and spot welded to the furnace walls.

A 'plurality of I-projections 3U, 3D are formed on the upper surface of each beam 20 in order to locate and secure Work supporting rails or tracks thereon lengthwise of the furnace. As shown, I provide three of these projections 3l) on each cross beam; one projection, 3|, in the center, and two others 33, V33, on each side thereof. Projections 33, 33 are formed on raised platforms 34, 34, formed integrally with and on top of beams 20 to raise all the side projections 33 .to the level of the center projection 3| on the crown of the arched beam.

'I'rackv or rail-work supports 4B comprise cast members of high heat and corrosion resisting alloy material having flat tops 42, depending sides 44 and depending ends 46, each of which ends 46 is apertured to key onto an end of projections 30. Each track or rail work support section 40 is of such length as to extend from one cross beam 2D to the next, and when all the track sections 40 are disposed and keyed onto cross beams 20, 2U, a substantially continuous work supporting trackway will be formed extending lengthwise of the housing. As will be obvious, any particular section 40 may be easily and quickly removed and replaced upon failure or deformity thereof during use, thus eliminating time consuming delays in track repairs.

On the bottom of the container, and in the 'center thereof, I locate my circulating gas mechanism. A plurality of shoes 60, 60 are provided, and disposed in line on the floor 62. The opposite sides E4, 6'4 of each shoe are recessed or notched, as at 66, to provide bearings for a pair :of spaced-apart rollers 68, 68, mounted in each of shoes 60. Shoes 60, 60 are so placed, and the .sides 64, 64 are so recessed, that when rollers 68, 68 are disposed therewthin, the pintles 'l0 :of the rollers extend lengthwise of the furnace.

I mount on the roller bearings so provided an elongated shaft 12. Shaft l2 is formed of a number of sections 14 which interfit one into the other. Each section 14 has a butt portion 16 with radially extending wings or fins 18 thereon, and an extending neck portion 8U, slotted to receive therein the butt 16 and Wings or ns 18 of the adjacent section 14. As will be seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, each section 14, in from the driven end (not shown) is successively smaller, in order to reduce torque and driving strain on the shaft as a whole.

In operation, the metal to be heat treated is introduced within container l and placed on trackways 40, 40. The container is then closed at its ends by suitable means (not shown) and gas is introduced through entrance ports I4 and caused to circulate through and around the work and the supporting structure by means of the agitations caused by the revolution of the fan blades 18 of shaft l2. After a suitable time, the gas is withdrawn through exhaust ports I6 and the work withdrawn.

Those parts of my invention disclosed but not claimed herein are covered by co-pending applications.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A heat treating container comprising a cylindrical shell, a plurality of arched cross beams disposed and secured within the shell in spaced relation to the container oor and to each other, a plurality of track members keyed onto said arched beams, and means to support each of said track members at a common level.

2. In a heat treating container comprising a cylindrical shell, a plurality of arched cross beams disposed and secured within the shell, each of said cross beams having a plurality of trackkeying means thereon.

3. In a heat treating container comprising a cylindrical shell, a plurality of arched cross beams disposed and secured within the shell, each of said cross beams having means thereon to key thereonto a plurality of track members, and means to support each of said rst named means at a common level.

4. A heat treating container comprising a cylindrical shell, work supporting means disposed and secured therewithin in spaced relation to the bottom of the container, said Work supporting means comprising a plurality of upwardly arched cross beams, a plurality of trackways secured on top and transversely of the cross beams, and means on the cross beams to support the plurality of trackways at a common level.

5. A heat treating container comprising a cylindrical shell, work supporting means disposed and secured therewithin in spaced relation to the bottom of the container, said work supporting means comprising a plurality of upwardly arched cross beams, a plurality of trackways secured on top and transversely of the cross beams, and means on the cross beams comprising platforms elevated thereabove to support the plurality of trackways at a common level.

6. A heat treating container comprising a cylindrical shell, a plurality of arched cross beams disposed and secured therein transversely of the length of the shell, work supporting means disposed and secured on the beams and in spaced relation to the bottom of the container, gas entrance ports near the top of the shell, gas exhaust ports near the bottom of the shell, and means to cause circulation of the atmosphere Within the shell.

7. A heat treating container comprising a cylindrical housing, work supporting means to open work formation disposed and secured therewithin in spaced relation to the bottom of the container, said means comprising a plurality of arched cross beams disposed and secured therein transversely of the length of the shell, on top of which beams trackways are secured transversely of the cross beams, gas entrance ports at one side of the container, gas exhaust ports at an opposite side of the container, and fan means disposed on the container bottom beneath the work supports to cause circulation of the atmosphere within the shell and about and through the openwork supporting means.

8. A heat treating container comprising a cylindrical shell, work supporting means disposed and secured within the shell, gas entrance ports, gas exhaust ports, and fan means to cause circulation of the atmosphere within the shell, the said fan means comprising a rotatably mounted elongated shaft formed of a plurality of intertted members, each of which has a butt portion with radial blades and a neck portion adapted to receive the butt of the adjacent section.

9. A heat treating container as in claim 7, in which the fan means comprise a rotatably mounted elongated shaft formed of a plurality of intertted members each of which has a butt portion with radial blades and a neck portion adapted to receive the butt of the adjacent section.

HENRY H. HARRIS. 

